Memorable Presentations

Classic rhetoric for a modern world

MOVE

from quite good to brilliant from conventional to original

from dry facts to compelling stories from insecure to confident

Are you up for it?

Whatever your profession or line of business, whatever your position or your field of expertise – both at work and in your private life, you are highly likely to give several kinds of presentations. To name just a few:

Professionals present projects to their colleagues. CEOs present business plans to their boards of directors. Jobseekers present themselves in interviews. Teachers present subject matter to their students. PhD candidates defend their thesis. Flight attendants present safety-on-board information to passengers. Salespeople present products and services to potential clients. Sons and daughters give speeches at anniversaries, birthdays and funerals.

It all boils down to the same thing: You have a message and you want your audience to grasp it, remember it, and act on it. There are many aspects to presentations. The good news is that everybody is adept at a whole bunch of them. Yet very few people naturally excel in all of them. Do you recognise any of the following?

Your listeners are glancing at their watches while you speak. You feel awkward on stage and would rather not be there. You run your own business but you don’t have a company presentation. You don’t get the jobs you apply for because recruiters don’t “get you”. You feel tense when you give a presentation in a foreign language. You find it difficult to interact with an audience. You feel at your safest when presenting facts and figures. You know storytelling is powerful, but you can’t seem to find the stories. You read from your manuscript or slides. People don’t seem to grasp or remember your core message. You find it difficult to stick to time limits for presentations. You use slides, wondering “where’s the power, and what’s the point”.

The best news is that, whatever your challenges or fears, you can get help to overcome them.

A different approach

This is not a course in presentation technique Of course I give you the tour of the rhetorical kitchen, guide you through the tools and give you the key to the pantry. I can show you a few elementary techniques and help you on your way with a couple of basic recipes. But that is just the beginning. You don’t want to be a passable cook; you want to be a celebrated chef. In this experimental kitchen, you will gradually develop your personal style, master the tools and make them work for you, maybe even invent new ones. You will concoct your own recipes and serve nothing less than delicious signature dishes.

(On a half-day presentation workshop in Oslo, April 2016) A big thumbs-up to Marleen's workshop "Powerful Presentations." In just half a day, she provided a process of unlocking our message into a compelling and memorable story – whether it is a personal story, a sales pitch or a company presentation. Her tools and techniques are unique and practical and are easy to implement. They empowered us to craft presentations that stir excitement, empathy and transform our message into "ideas worth spreading." Torund Bryhn Managing Director of Diotima Strategies

The Memorable Presentations Masterclass is:

intensive (6 participants) efficient – we focus on what is important for you tailored to individual needs – no standard lectures practical – theory reduced to relevant minimum unconventional and fun

(On a half-day presentation workshop plus two additional hours of individual coaching in Oslo, April 2016) I teach courses and give lectures, so holding engaging presentations with a clear message is crucial to me. Marleen at Laschet Kommunikasjon identifies participants’ strengths and weaknesses and builds the workshop around that. She gives unambiguous feedback and continuously provides concrete advice and tips directly related to your own presentations and performance. She has changed my mindset on what a good presentation should be like, and taken me to a new level in less than a day. I highly recommend her. Uno Dahl Henriksen, Manager of Ad Men AS, Kristiansand

What you get:

a new mindset on presentations based on TED principles with storytelling as the backbone development of personal style rather than standard techniques in the spirit of “Speak to the heart”

a whole set of tools on all aspects of presentation guidance on how to bend tools your way, so they get both power and point

knowledge and competence applicable to other fields of communication exercises to overcome blocks and anxiety personalised written feedback after day 1 and after day 2 a masterclass certificate

Your age, profession, social status, position, field of expertise, mother tongue, nationality, education, level of experience as a speaker and line of business don’t matter. You are very welcome to participate in this masterclass, provided you

are able to deal with honest and constructive feedback have the team-spirit to give feedback to the rest of the group are committed, open-minded and willing to jump out of your comfort zone are eager to make the most of our time together

The Memorable Presentations Masterclass consists of two non-consecutive whole days. A bit of time should pass before you embark on day 2, so that day 1 can sink in, you can practice what you have learnt and enjoy the effect of your new accomplishments. Moreover, you don’t need to take two consecutive days off work or spend a whole weekend away from home. Before each course day, you will get two exercises. Devote the necessary time to complete them – the better prepared you are, the more you will get out of the Memorable Presentations Masterclass.

Day 1 You get a solid basis for preparing and performing good and original presentations. You shrug off bad habits and explore how rhetorical tools can be bent to fit your personal style. You will gradually change your mindset on presentations, never to look back. Whatever level you start at, this day will lift you several notches.

Get your feet wet initial exercises put you on the right track instead of standard lectures, we weave in theory where it comes natural

Take the plunge We cover all essential aspects of presentations and rhetoric: “where to start”,

coining the message, structure, manuscript, storytelling, props, preparing for the stage, adapting to specific audiences, performance, body language, …

Towel and get dressed Fun exercises and serious practice, constructive feedback and inspiring group

discussions help you develop your personal presentation style. You take your new skills home and refine your presentations. A set of exercises will help you deal with any challenges you may have.

Day 2

Day 2 lifts you to an entirely new level. We go in depth on several aspects of presentation and rhetoric, choosing from a large set of modules. A few examples:

storytelling tangible facts and figures different types of stories feel safe without a manuscript stories with coat hangers when technology fails the story barometer handy handouts

figures of speech stage-confident in a foreign language non-verbal communication preparing for the stage

You are now equipped with a precious toolkit and with ideas on how to use it creatively. You feel more confident and will continue developing your unique style. You are well on your way to becoming the best presenter and speaker you can be.

Where You are always welcome to do a course in Trondheim, but I will also be happy to come to your home town. Tell me where, and I’ll start packing. When I make myself available when it suits you. If you find it difficult to take time off work or leave your business during the week, we set up the course during the weekend. Language I hold the Memorable Presentations Masterclass in the following languages: Norwegian, English, Dutch, German, French and Italian. Participants who want to train specifically on holding presentations in a foreign language can do the exercises in the course in the target language. In case a whole group wants to practice on giving presentations in a foreign language, I advise to hold the whole masterclass in the target language – provided it is within my reach. Certificate A masterclass certificate will be handed out to participants who have completed day 1 + day 2 of the course and fulfil the necessary criteria. Cost* Day 1: … EUR/NOK/GBP/PLN** Day 2: … EUR/NOK/GBP/PLN** We grant you a reduction of … EUR/NOK/GBP/PLN if you prepay both days from the start. Laschet Kommunikasjon treats you to lunch on both course days. *Prices vary according to location. Send me a message on marleen@laschet.no for customised brochure. **Prices are VAT exclusive. VAT rates depend on your location.

For organisations who book a whole course in-house for up to six employees, we tailor a package offer.

Interested? Drop me a line at marleen@laschet.no Subject “Memorable Presentations”

I am Marleen Laschet

I am a global tree, thriving in all weather conditions: Belgian roots, Norwegian trunk, branches stretching out over Europe, twigs reaching out to the world, leaves tickling new places. I am a multilingual philologist with more than twenty years’ experience as a communication manager in the oil industry. I now run my own business as a copywriter, presentation coach, public speaker and leader of workshops and seminars. I am part of a media response team, assisting companies with strategic communication in times of crisis. I blog about foreign language acquisition and cultural differences. I am an experienced TEDx speaker coach and I recently received the «Communicator of the Year Award» from Translators without Borders, a global organisation where I volunteer as a storyteller. I am also a TED translator and subtitler. Last April, I held a 90-minute lecture in Sicily, in Italian, without reading from a manuscript, after only 12 weeks of Italian studies, and I had the time of my life on stage. Foolhardiness? Genius? Black magic? Try determination, attitude, a bold take on using basic foreign language skills, avoiding a couple of common mistakes, and merry interaction with a charming audience – all of which I can teach you. Not so many years ago, I would have preferred measles, chickenpox, a fistful of kidney stones and a couple of broken ribs, all at once, to any form of public speaking. In any language. On any topic. To any kind of audience.

LinkedIn profile Blog My own TEDx talk

Speak to the heart “Speak to the heart” is the title of my TEDx talk, based on wise words from Nelson Mandela: If you really want to connect with people, you have to speak their language. “Speak to the heart” is at the core of all communication services I provide. Good communication is not about reaching out to people’s brains only. The heart is where you really touch your listener.

Speak to the heart – of your audience: When you give a presentation, you will touch hearts through storytelling and by interacting with your spectators, not with dry facts and figures. And yes, also boards of directors and investors have a heart. Speak to the heart – of recruiters: You will not land a job by reciting your CV in an interview. Telling a compelling little story that shows the essence of who you are may touch a recruiter’s heart and give you the decisive advantage over your competitors. Speak to the heart – of potential customers: It is not product specifications that sell dishwashers – it is the story of how it will make people’s lives better. Speak to the heart – tickle it, punch it, challenge it, inspire it, nudge it a bit, and then soothe and fondle it. It will trust you. It will love you.

My company: Laschet Kommunikasjon After many interesting corporate years involving weekly commuting to Stavanger and Oslo, it was time to make a leap and come back home for real. The initial plan was to find another job. Much to my own surprise, I found myself establishing my own company. I realised I had a unique combination of skills and experience that maybe not one single company in Trondheim would need fulltime in-house, but many organisations across Europe, or even beyond, could benefit from on a consultancy basis. I enjoy the 100 % freedom and the 100 % responsibility that running my own business entails. And I get to do what I do best. All the time. As a one-person company, I can offer my clients maximum flexibility; for larger projects, I can draw on extra capacity and specialised competence from hand-picked partners.

Website Facebook

All our services are tailor-made

Core values

Clear Flexible Bold Seriously playful These values are part of the DNA of Laschet Kommunikasjon. They form our promise to our clients and they keep us on track. The services we provide and the way we treat our stakeholders are aligned with them. I would like participants of the Memorable Presentations Masterclass to reach for them and

give presentations with a clear message learn to be flexible and adapt presentations to the situation at hand be bold in developing a personal style, dare to stand out be seriously playful, have fun – truly and fully enjoy giving presentations

One-on-one I offer individual presentation coaching. Whether you want advice on a particular presentation or talk you are about to give, or you struggle creating a good story, you are uncertain about your wording or your slides, …Whatever it is, wherever you are, I am just a Skype-call away, ready to help you speak to others’ hearts.

Drop me a line on marleen@laschet.no with subject “one-on-one”. I will be running all of my presentations past Marleen in the future! In a one-hour Skype call she took my slides from average to awesome. As is so often the case, I’d been left short of time to prepare for an upcoming talk. With her focus on storytelling and design, she was able to shape the content so that it has maximum impact. Her practical tips not only mean I now have a great presentation, but it’s also ensured that the audience will focus on what I have to say, with the slides complementing this rather than the slides being the star of the show. If you have a presentation coming up, make sure you give her a call! Alison Ellis Director of Korero PR, Aberdeen

Further testimonials

I was the MC and keynote speaker at an international film festival in Calgary, Canada. There was so much I wanted to share with my audience, but due to returning from a trip, I hadn’t gotten around to casting it into a concise yet compelling speech that would keep me within the given time boundaries. The date of the event was creeping up and I was beginning to feel anxious. Then I had a coaching session with Marleen on skype. In a short time, she was able to help me transform my presentation into more of a story, and I took it from there. I followed her advice and felt very comfortable on stage. My speech was very well received by the audience and I feel that my work with Marleen helped me greatly to feel properly prepared. I highly recommend Marleen as a coach or adviser, as she will listen and deliver fantastic knowledge and content for you. Tony Esteves www.iontheball.ca I'm very grateful that Marleen Laschet was the speaker coach for my TEDx Talk in November 2015. She was instrumental in helping me to stay strictly focused on my core message, and not falling for the temptation of including various side themes. Marleen's steady guidance enabled me to develop a suitable narrative structure for my talk, and she helped polishing both my final choice of words as well as body language. Best of all, she kept coaching me with an unflinching trust in my abilities and a very uplifting sense of humour. I have since received a lot of positive feedback on my talk, and I think the bulk of that credit is due to Marleen's very professional coaching. Kim Sørenssen (On a one-day workshop I conducted in Iceland for participants from different countries, together with a colleague) It was a very rewarding and inspiring experience to work with Marleen and Kim. The workshop they provided was insightful and beneficial to all the participants. Unlike other trainings of this type that I have taken part in, this one was very interactive. This way we were able to work in an international team and with the trainers' guidance and know-how they shared with us, we were learning from one another and truly improved our presentation skills in practice. I had a chance to present at a national conference some days after the workshop and received very positive feedback. It works! Edyta Lachowicz-Santos Head International Communication and Relations Office

(On a one-day workshop I conducted in Iceland for participants from different countries, together with a colleague) „Marleen and Kim instantly created a very personal workshop atmosphere, which enabled participants of all experience levels to test, to try, and to succeed in their presentation skills in a sort of sheltered environment. Both coaches successfully translate presentation concepts in really tangible techniques and consult participants very respectfully according to their needs and strengths. So, in summary, I would strongly recommend Marleen and Kim to anyone interested in not just getting what’s available as common wisdom about presentation skills, but in a bespoke training. On top, you get a decent amount of humour during the training, which clearly helps in memorizing the content.” Herwig Dämon Head of Communications, University of Liechtenstein